Wisconsin
Grandma of Wisconsin boy, 3, who went missing after disciplinary ‘boot camp’ makes tearful plea
The grandmother and other family members of a 3-year-old Wisconsin boy who vanished after his mom sent him to her boyfriend’s home for “disciplinary reasons” made a tearful plea for help in locating him after the two were charged with child neglect.
Elijah Vue was last seen by an adult caregiver about 8 a.m. Feb. 20 at a residence in Two Rivers, police said.
His mom Katrina Baur and her boyfriend Jesse Vang have both been arrested on suspicion of child neglect.
Elijah’s grandmother Lia Vang urged the Two Rivers community not to give up.
“I want my grandson to be home with my family,” Vang said tearfully at a news conference earlier this week, NBC 26 reported. “So, I want everybody to continue. Don’t stop searching for my baby, Elijah.”
“We cannot express the depth of our sorrow, nor the desperation that consumes us as each moment passes without news of Elijah’s safety,” his aunt Linda Vue told reporters, Fox 11 reported.
“Every day without him feels like a piece of our hearts is missing. We long to hear his laughter, to witness his curiosity and to feel the warmth of his embrace,” she said. “The emptiness left in his absence is a void that cannot be filled by anything else.”
“If you can hear us, know that you are deeply missed and loved and we will not rest until you are safely back in our arms,’ the aunt added.
Elijah’s uncle Orson Vue said the family will fight hard to find him.
The boy’s frantic family struggled to find words to describe their pain, saying Elijah is a joyful, curious child who is full of life and love.
“It breaks my heart when I think about it. But, when we come together and put a plan in place, we go through with it,” he told NBC 26 during a search across parks and forests in Manitowoc County.
“It does give us a little peace of mind in that sense — that we are putting a lot of effort into finding Elijah,” he added. “It hurts… and it’s hard. It’s hard to face sometimes. He’s not here and we do not know where he is.”
Jesse Vang, 39, called 911 around 11 a.m. Feb. 20 to report that Elijah went missing while he was babysitting him, Fox 59 reported, citing a criminal complaint.
He reportedly said he had been trying to help Elijah’s mom correct the child’s “bad behaviors.”
On the day the boy went missing, Vang said he got his own son ready for school and saw Elijah still sleeping, Fox 59 reported.
After the two of them had breakfast later, Vang went back sleep and when he woke up Elijah was missing, the boyfriend told authorities.
Baur, 31, who lives in Wisconsin Dells, said her son had been in the care of Vang for about a week, adding that he is the “enforcer of rules” in the relationship.
Some of the disciplinary measures included praying, saying he was sorry and memorizing rules of conduct, Fox 59 reported. The mom reportedly told cops she wanted her boyfriend to teach Elijah how to “be a man.”
Vang told investigators that the time the boy spent with him was meant to be a form of “boot camp,” according to the complaint.
“He gets pretty tired from… I guess like from standing, too,” Vang told police, describing hours-long standing timeouts.
When Elijah tried to sit down, Vang would ask him if he wanted “cold water,” according to the complaint, which says he gave the boy cold showers as a form of punishment.
Baur was charged Monday with one felony count of party-to-a-crime of child neglect and two misdemeanor counts of resisting or obstructing an officer. She was being held on a $15,000 cash bond.
Vang was charged with one felony count of party-to-a-crime child neglect and was being held on a $20,000 cash bond.
At the time of his arrest, Vang also was under federal supervision on unrelated charges. His lengthy rap sheet includes previous charges for aggravated battery, disorderly conduct and child abuse, Spectrum News reported.
“(Baur) intentionally sent that child for disciplinary reasons for more than a week to the residence. She was aware of the tactics used and the lack of care provided,” Manitowoc County DA Jacalyn LaBre said at a bond hearing Feb. 23, KTVL reported.
“This was an intentional thing by her. And, on at least two occasions, during the interviews she has provided false information on her whereabouts during the past week,” she added.
Baur has requested her $15,000 cash bond be modified to allow her to be released on her own recognizance, Fox 11 reported. She argued that she has been unable to pay the bond. A hearing on the matter hasn’t been scheduled.
Meanwhile, the owner of Ross Auto Service in Two Rivers shared images with the outlet of Elijah in his shop with Jesse on Feb. 16 — four days before he was reported missing.
Ross Auto Service
He said there was nothing unusual about the visit, and that when he learned about the child going missing he immediately shared everything he had with police.
Elijah is 3 feet tall, has dark blond hair and brown eyes, and weighs about 45 pounds. He has a birthmark on his left knee.
An Amber Alert remains in effect and anyone with information is urged to call 1-844-267-6648.
Wisconsin
Kickoff time announced for Wisconsin-Notre Dame at Lambeau Field
(WLUK) — The Wisconsin-Notre Dame game at Lambeau Field will be under the lights.
Kickoff will be at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 6.
The matchup, originally scheduled for Oct. 3, 2020, was rescheduled for 2026 after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the 2020 football season.
The Badgers took on the Fighting Irish at Soldier Field in Chicago in 2021 as part of the Shamrock Series, the neutral-site non-conference series between the two programs. Notre Dame claimed the first game of the series 41-13.
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Wisconsin last played at Lambeau Field in 2016 and scored a 16-14 win over No. 5 LSU.
Wisconsin
DHS urges Wisconsin ‘sanctuary’ county to keep illegal immigrant accused in elderly sexual assaults jailed
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The Department of Homeland Security is urging “sanctuary politicians in Wisconsin” not to release a Nicaraguan national who was arrested after being accused of sexually assaulting an elderly victim, according to a statement Wednesday.
Julio Cesar Morales-Jarquin, 31, is in local police custody after being charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault of an elderly victim, DHS said.
He was arrested last month after a residential care facility in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, reported to police that an employee may have assaulted vulnerable residents, according to local outlet WKOW.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a detainer request on April 27 asking that Morales-Jarquin remain in custody.
ICE ARRESTS ALLEGED CHILD SEX OFFENDER RELEASED UNDER CONNECTICUT SANCTUARY LAWS
Julio Cesar Morales-Jarquin, 31, is accused of sexually assaulting an elderly victim at a Wisconsin care facility, according to authorities. (Department of Homeland Security)
DHS on Wednesday called on Dane County officials not to release Morales-Jarquin, accusing the county of being a “sanctuary jurisdiction” that refuses to honor ICE detainers.
The agency said the county has previously given ICE as little as 30 minutes to take custody of individuals in its jail.
DHS BLASTS MINNESOTA BOARD FOR UNANIMOUSLY PARDONING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CONVICTED OF 3 ASSAULTS
The Department of Homeland Security logo. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
According to DHS, Morales-Jarquin entered the United States in 2023 under the Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program for Nicaragua. Although the program was later ended, DHS said he remained in the country unlawfully.
“This illegal alien is charged with two counts of sexual assault of an elderly victim at an assisted living facility,” Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in the DHS statement. “This dirtbag was released into the country by the Biden Administration. DHS is calling on sanctuary politicians in Dane County, Wisconsin to NOT release this criminal from jail back onto the streets to commit more crimes.”
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The Wisconsin State Capitol, in Madison, Wisconsin, houses both chambers of the Wisconsin legislature along with the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Office of the Governor. (Jordan McAlister)
“We need Wisconsin sanctuary politicians to cooperate with us to remove criminals from our country,” she added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Dane County Executive’s Office for comment.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin air show, road race voted among best in country
EAA AirVenture 2025 opens with aircraft of every description
EAA AirVenture 2025
USA TODAY readers voted two Wisconsin events among the nation’s best for thrills and excitement – and one got a No. 1 spot.
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh was voted the Best Air Show, ranking first on a list of 10 air shows across the country.
Oshkosh annually becomes a landing pad for around 10,000 aircraft of all shapes and sizes, in what’s considered the world’s biggest fly-in convention. In 2025, EAA had record-breaking attendance, with around 704,000 visitors. This year, the air show will be held July 20-26.
Also highlighted on the most recent USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards, released Wednesday, May 6, was the Sports Car Club of America National Championship Runoffs in Elkhart Lake, which ranked sixth in the Best Motorsports Race category.
The SCCA National Championship Runoffs are an annual competition between top amateur road racers, frequently held at Road America.
The event was held annually at Road America from 2009 to 2013, then returned in 2020 and again for the 2024-2026 competitions. It also rotates to other sites across the United States. In 2027 and 2028, it will be held at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
The SCCA National Championship Runoffs will take place Sept. 28-Oct. 4.
The Best Air Show and Best Motorsports Race lists were among 10 lists in the overarching category “Thrills ‘n’ Wheels & Fishing.” Other lists include Best Boat Show, Best Car Show, Best Fishing Charter and Best Rodeo. The full list of winners can be found online at 10best.usatoday.com/awards.
To determine its lists, USA TODAY 10Best invites a panel of industry experts each week to nominate their favorite points of interest, in categories like food, drink, travel and lifestyle. Editors then vet the nominations and set aside a list of nominees to ask the public to vote on for a period of four weeks.
Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ArseneauKelli.
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